Understanding Namibia's Conservancy Program

Published: August - 2007

Quick, now which country in Africa is the most exciting and holds the most promise as a hunting country? Tanzania, maybe? Botswana? Everyone will have his favorite, but I believe the hands-down winner is Namibia. Why? Because of its growing Conservancy Program.

Conservation Force's John J. Jackson, III, you may recall, mentioned this program in his January 2007 Conservation Force Bulletin. He said back then he believed Namibia's plan to create a total of 80 communal conservancies in coming years promises to make Namibia one of the foremost hunting destinations in the world. I agree. The African hunter who wants to embark on a real journey of discovery, hunting wild lands that have been hunted only lightly, if ever, will start researching Namibia now.

Make no mistake, the hunting we are talking about here is not the kind of oryx-and-cows farm hunting most clients think about when you mention Namibia. This is wild, fair-chase hunting in remote, completely undeveloped land. In all, Namibia's conservancies are projected to encompass 40 million acres when they are all in place, and nearly a third of that territory 13.3 million acres - will be devoted to hunting. The animals available right now include lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, oryx, kudu, zebra and the entire gamut of lesser antelope. Europeans and other non-US hunters can go for cheetah. Namibia also has the largest herd of black rhino in the world, and, if legal impediments can be overcome, they are huntable in fair chase environments reminiscent of Africa 50 to 75 years ago.

John Jackson's article covered all this. The purpose of this report is to arm you with the basic information you need to start enjoying this hunting. Right now, Germans still dominate Namibian hunting because of historical and linguistic ties going back to the colonial period. But that is changing, especially when it comes to low-cost ranch hunting. Americans and other Europeans are learning fast that Namibian ranch hunting is every bit as good and sometimes better than the ranch hunting found in South........(continued)